CHENNAI: Scaling another high, the State confirmed 600 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths on Friday, taking the Statewide tally to 6,009 and death toll to 40. According to a media bulletin, Chennai recorded a huge 399 cases. The city has over half of the total cases in the State, with 3,043 cases. Reinforcing the Koyambedu stamp, the bulletin said 1,589 cases are linked to the market.
The deceased are a 78-year-old man and 56-year-old man from Chennai, who died at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Thursday night. The third was 83-year-old man admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, who also died on Thursday. Speaking to reporters, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said all the deceased suffered from co-morbid conditions.
“Tamil Nadu is maintaining the lowest mortality rate of 0.68 among all States. We have also tested the highest number of samples - 2,16,416 - in the country. On Friday, as many as 13,980 samples were tested, out of which 600 came positive. The increase in the number of cases is because of aggressive testing and people need not panic about the numbers. Like the Delhi conference cluster, the Koyambedu cluster will also be controlled by tracking all contacts,” he said.
Speaking on home isolation of asymptomatic cases, Vijayabaskar said the guidelines were framed based on ICMR rules. “Home isolation will be arranged only for those who opt for it. They will be given a kit containing Zinc, Vitamin D and C tablets, a booklet on do’s and don’ts for patients and caretakers, a soap, hand sanitiser, Kabasura Kudineer drink mix, a diet chart and triple-layered masks.”
EPS, OPS to review works
Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam will review the works undertaken to shift the Koyambedu Market to Thirumazhisai on Saturday
2570 nurses for COVID care
CM Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday said 2,570 nurses have been appointed on contract basis for six months as part of the efforts to contain the coronavirus. Forty nurses will be deputed to each district headquarters hospital and 10 to 30 nurses will be deputed to taluk hospitals, based on the requirement.